Posts Tagged ‘audi diesels’

Audi of America CEO Scott Keogh with two of the new diesel models the maker will launch in the U.S. over the next year.

Audi’s midsize A6 TDI model will soon be delivering fuel economy numbers that subcompact drivers could appreciate, the German sedan getting a new 38 mpg highway mileage rating from the EPA.

Sensing a growing interest for diesels in a market normally averse to so-called “oil burners,” Audi plans to launch four new TDI models in the coming year, three of which will reach American showrooms by this summer, the fourth in 2014.

Powering your Auto Knowledge!

“Audi has been at the forefront of clean diesel since the introduction of Audi TDI technology in the U.S. in 2009,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America, who noted that, “As drivers increasingly look for high fuel efficiency and low-emissions output, demand for diesel is on the rise.”

Audi of America CEO Scott Keogh with two new diesel models - and a sign suggesting the fuel the technology has helped owners save.

Audi will introduce four new diesel models in 2013, technology the maker says has already allowed its buyers to reduce their fuel consumption by nearly 5 million gallons in recent years.

But during a news conference at the 2012 LA Auto Show, U.S. Audi chief Scott Keogh took shots at state and federal regulators whom he accused of unfairly favoring battery-based technologies, rather than diesel, as a way to curb American dependence upon imported oil. He called on officials to take steps that would help boost demand for diesel powertrains in the U.S. – as is already the case in Europe.

Subscribe Now! It's Free!

“These are cars that demand no sacrifice,” proclaimed Keogh as he introduced the upcoming diesel versions of the Audi A6, A7, A8 and Q5 models. That’s a big part of the diesel pitch, as the latest versions of that technology can deliver significant performance and plenty of towing power, along with higher mileage. By comparison, hybrids and other battery-based technologies require trade-offs such as reduced performance or shorter range.

Audi of America can barely keep up with demand for diesel products. CEO Johann De Nysschen is shown here with the A3 TDi, the 2010 Green Car of the Year.

Diesels are big business, or so claims an industry trade group that today revealed new research that finds that when you add up everything from engine manufacturing to the production of fuel it generates $480 billion annually and supports 1.25 million jobs.

The timing of the report couldn’t be better for proponents of “oil burners.” After years of largely being ignored by American consumers, diesels are starting to gain traction in the U.S. market, sales of existing models like the imported Volkswagen Jetta TDi surging, while General Motors has announced plans to launch a diesel-powered version of the compact Chevrolet Cruze that could deliver better highway mileage than the best of today’s hybrids.

Cruise on in with a Free Subscription!

“Diesel is a major economic factor and job creator in the U.S. economy and is vital to America’s economic recovery and growth,” said Allen Schaeffer, the Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum, during a speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. “Diesel not only provides jobs in the manufacturing and refining industries, it provides equipment and engines to our agricultural, mining and construction industries, and transports virtually every commodity available to American consumers.

General Motors has formally confirmed it will add a high-mileage diesel to its Chevrolet Cruze line starting with the 2013 model-year.

The long-rumored diesel is likely to be an adaptation of the 2.0-liter VCDi direct-injection “oil-burner” already offered in Europe on their version of the Chevy compact. Insiders report that the diesel could deliver as much as 51 miles per gallon – significantly more than the current Cruze Eco and in line with the Toyota Prius Hybrid.

Your High-Mileage News Source!

For its part, GM won’t do more than confirm plans to add the diesel, but that is a distinct reversal of the company’s long-standing opposition to the technology. Former GM car czar Bob Lutz, in particular, had argued that the cost of meeting U.S. emissions standards was too high.